SOUND BITES ALONE WOULDN’T SOLVE OUR CRIME SITUATION
…..BY: Audley Phillip
Over the last 12 months or so, we have regularly been stunned by almost daily reports of car thefts, home invasions, reports of missing persons, armed robberies and holdups, violent confrontations, murders and more involving children and young adults, some as young as 16.
It is more than I have ever seen or heard of in Antigua and Barbuda in my lifetime. There is a real change of behaviour among our youths and it is a worrying and an unsettling trend.
Right now, juveniles and young adults make up almost 90 percent of all criminal offenders these days.
I believe that there is a group of about 30 to 40 children and young adults that are responsible for the vast majority of these vicious crimes islandwide.
What is evident and common is that these young criminals do not care about the consequences. They do not think about the next step and the traditional levers in society do not work and seem hopeless, so putting them on remand really doesn’t work either.
Most of them go to jail, serve some time and come out hardened criminals, just intent on continuing with their unlawful actions and so the cycle repeats itself.
We need swift reforms of the youth justice system if we are to make any meaningful progress in addressing this problem.
Whilst we continue to hear a lot of soundbites from politicians, nothing meaningful has been done in order to address the serious problems that confront the youths in the predominantly affected hotspots of Villa Area, Point, Graysfarm, Greenbay, Cassada Gardens, Sutherlands Development, Skerrits Pasture and a few others.
The issues that confront the youths in these areas would not disappear and vanish just like that.
There are obvious serious economic disparities that exacerbate frustration and despair among many youths in these areas, leading to an environment where crime and violence becomes a common outlet.
Whether we want to believe it or not, crime is almost always connected to low income and poverty and the lack of Education only worsen the problem.
We jail our young people for crimes, yet we do not do enough to help solve the problems.
The social deprivation and lack of good parenting are a common factor as well in many of these hotspot areas and nothing is being done to provide support services, opportunities and other meaningful assistance to the many struggling parents.
If we do not help our youths to find their part in life, our renowned penal institution 1735 would soon be bursting at the seam with no space to accommodate them.
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The more people like Audley Phillip speak (write), the clearer it becomes of just how shallow their thinking is. Take, for example, this assertion from the present piece: “The social deprivation and lack of good parenting are a common factor as well in many of these hotspot areas and nothing is being done to provide support services, opportunities and other meaningful assistance to the many struggling parents.”
I want to be diplomatic and say that Audley Phillip is misguided or that he is somehow mistaken. But then that would be to give credence to wilful deception. So I will say it plain: Audley Phillip is a barefaced LIAR!
Just last year, the news portals were filled with headlines with the Prime Minister, Min. Daryll Matthew, Senator Michael Joseph, and others personally intervening to bring an end to a gang feud. They provided scholarships for members of the gang to attend Harrison Centre/ABICE to learn a trade and offered employment so that they could support themselves. While some remained in the programme, others returned to a life of crime because it represents easy money for them.
This story is not new. Years ago, the PM did the same thing with Red Shut Gang, when he approached the then Minister of Agriculture, Hilson Baptiste and got them land for farming that they requested. Some remained and other left a few months after.
What is the lesson here? While it is undeniable that there is a link between economic inequality and crime, it is equally true that this country had paid more than lip service. It is also true that a person becomes a criminal if they have a criminal mind. Many of us were brought up poor and there was always income inequality. However, we did not choose a life of crime because we did not have criminal minds. A person robs and steals because they WANT to.
Audley, stop your intellectual dishonesty!
The government need to purchase solar powered LED streetlight with camera combination sim equipped units and change all streetlights in Antigua in order to solve crime.
Good gentleman this is a subject close to my heart. I do agree with you that the social ills are the main reason why these areas mentioned called hot spots have so many delinquent young men. However I don’t agree with that low number of 30 to 40 youth/ young adults. If you look at the gangs the PM met and several did not come forward that number is just about one hot spot – one gangs. Secondly if you look at the amount of illegal firearms taken away from guys with criminal intent it’s a lot more. So my guess is more than double that amount which is alarming. Thirdly out side of these hot spots our young people, especially the boys / young men seems not to care about consequences. The two that robbed and shot the Now and Later supermarket owner in Grays farm and robbed All Saints Service station around midday are from All Saints. So it is far more widespread than you think. Remember the series of violent crimes in Willikies, to include murder- in such a small community, where everyone knows everyone and are supposed to be like a family. They don’t have any conflict resolution skills and resort to violence to solve their differences. Wort yet taking a life don’t seem to bother them. They use the word that he”VIOLATED” . This is for the simple of difference. Who don’t have guns use knives as Short Shirt said a long time ago.
The other point I will like to correct you on is the point you made that 1735 will be soon bursting in the seam. Sir 1735 has bust it seam many decades ago. If you research it has more than three times the amount of inmates it was built to house. Remember the lawyer Monique Gordon had to literally fight to get the government to stop putting children with hard core criminal. Remember the boy from Clare Hall Secondary School that was allegedly seen with a gun. The teachers , students, parents and community all reported he was a well behaved child. Yet he was sent to prison and upon release was barred from continuing his education. Where is he now? By the way a recent article showed how deficient our education system is . We don’t track our children in our public the school system. Hence we are not following the alarming drop out rate amongst our boys. Do you know that for decades now in mix secondary schools , they have been classes with all girls. Don’t talk about the percentages as you go higher up in the education system.
Then there is the marijuana use by these undeveloped minds. Government so call decriminalization, which to me is closer to legalization without really looking at the consequences is also in my estimation playing a big role in the increase in crime.
Sir you have addressed a very critical issue and of course you are always impartial and truthful. So I hope my comments adds to your already telling discourse.
The government should purchase LED solar powered camera combination streetlights equip with sim card to help fight crime, and remember don’t allow APUA to foolishly leave the battery at the develop countries 10 ft height, battery at the top.
These cameras record audio and video and still be your regular super bright streetlight.
Why are people so quick to blame politicians for them reckless juve behaviour ….IT STARRS AT HOME !!!! When the juve do crime charge the parents since some are too young to go to jail let their parents pay ..maybe then theyll get more serious about parenting cause just like them juve dont care why yall thinh some of them parents care ?
Totally in agreement with you. When parents and children hang out at the same places, there IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM.
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